Marika!!! Congratulations, Marika. Send me an email at dawn@dawnbrown.org letting me know which format you prefer and I will send your book to you.
Thanks to everyone for playing. But I’m not quite done yet. Anyone who leaves a comment on today’s blog will get a chance to win their choice of books from my back list.
Today is moving at record speeds. I can’t believe it’s already past noon and I’m just sitting down at my desk now. This doesn’t bode well for the rest of the week.
So I spent most of the weekend doing laundry–as predicted–and reorganizing the kid’s room. The latter was one of those projects that I almost wished I hadn’t started. Let’s just say it got worse before it got better. But on the upside, it’s done and his room is the picture of organization. Which pleases me if not him. 
I did manage to get some writing done. I’m to 19k on the WIP, admittedly some I pilfered from a story I started a few years back but it never really went anywhere. This week I’ll keep with working on that and get started on marketing for Blood and Bone. There are only 64 more days until October 11th, after all. Which leads me to my next point. Starting tomorrow, I’m giving away stuff every Tuesday. You know the drill by now. Leave a comment and I’ll draw a name.
Tomorrow’s prize is a Curse of Culcraig ebook. I announce the winner Friday. So check back tomorrow!
Mood: Good
Music: I Gave You All, Mumford and Sons (This is my absolute favorite CD right now. Every song is awesome.)
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!!
Sorry for disappearing there. I had computer problems and a brutal cold between Christmas and New Year. The former has been fixed as part of my Christmas gift from DH, and the latter is almost gone. Actually, I’m surprised how long this cold is lingering. I’m going into week three and, while I’m much better, it’s still there. But enough about me.
I promised contests before Christmas, and I’m making good on it now. Please, please check back tomorrow, I’ll be giving away an e-copy of The Curse of Culcraig.
In the meantime, what my New Years Eve says about me. What does your New Years Eve say about you?
You Appreciate Diversity |
 You are cosmopolitan, but you don’t make a show if it. You are proud of your taste, but you keep that pride to yourself.You are indulgent and optimistic. You feel like you and your friends deserve the best. Right now, you value love most in your life. Romance is what’s important to you. You are compassionate and sensitive. It’s likely that you are too hard on yourself at times. |
First off, thanks to everyone who participated. Much appreciated. And now for the good stuff…
The winner of a copy of Living Lies is Teri Anne Stanley. Email me, and we can work out the details to get the book to you.
Thanks again everyone! Also, as Christmas draws closer, I’ll be putting together a few more giveaways so keep checking back!
Am I the only one who feels like fall is racing past at record speed?
A week ago, I took a picture from office widow and the trees were still covered with colored leaves. Today, the trees outside my window are practically bare.
Last night was a fairly quiet Halloween. The kid, dressed as the grim reaper–complete with bleeding skeleton mask–went trick-or-treating with a friend and wanted his dad to take them. Yes, he’s reached the age where mom doing things with him just isn’t cool. (However, guess who he asked for when he was up through the night with a sore tummy after too much candy?) This left me home to hand out candy. Not that I minded overly much. It was freezing here last night, and I got to see all the little ones in their costumes. Very cute. We didn’t get many kids last night, though, so we have a ton of left over candy.
After putting the kid to bed, I did what I like to do every Halloween. Eat candy and watch scary movies on T.V. But I must say, I was kind of disappointed with the selection. So T.V station people, who are undoubtedly reading this blog with baited breath, just waiting for my suggestions, here is a list of my top five horror movies that I feel you should consider airing on Halloween next year.
5. Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? – Whatever happened to this movie? Why does it never get aired on T.V. anymore? I blame infomercials.
4. Psycho – I really shouldn’t have to say this, but…not the remake. Only the original. Embrace the black and white. It adds to the ambiance.
3. American Werewolf In London – I love this movie. The visits from his dead friend are the best.
2. The Changeling – This is probably my favorite horror movie. No matter how many times I see it, the hair on the back of my neck always stands on end when they hear the voice on the tape.
1. Halloween – Seems kind of obvious, doesn’t it? Oh, and again, not the remake. I have issues with remakes in general, and come on, the bad 70′s hair and clothes are part of the movie’s charm.
Okay, that’s my rant. I hope you enjoyed it.
Over at the Samhain Cafe they are celebrating Samhain’s birthday with lots of great prizes and excerpts. So in the spirit, I’m giving away a copy of Living Lies. Just leave a comment on how you spent Halloween, or what your favorite horror movies are, and you’re entered. I’ll draw a name and announce the winner on Wednesday.
Release Day is finally here! The Curse of Culcraig is out. And to celebrate I’m giving away a copy. Just leave a comment and I’ll draw a name. Easy, right? Since today is Friday, I’ll announce the winner on Monday.
In the meantime here is a new excerpt. I hope you’ll enjoy.
He rose and stood next to her while adding
cream and sugar to his coffee. She ignored his
suggestion to sit down—not that he was
surprised—returned the cream to the fridge
instead and brushed against his back as she did. A
shimmer of unseen energy tingled over his skin. He
turned and caught her hand to stop her from
moving away.
Her eyes went wide and dark like a forest lake.
He could have drowned in them. Her soft, powdery
scent with the barest hint of floral wrapped around
him, teasing his senses. He wanted to kiss her. To
press his mouth to her full, parted lips. To taste
her. She’d intrigued him from the start, and
wanting her had gnawed dully at the back of his
brain for days.
But having her this close, so that he could feel
her body’s heat mingling with his own…
The thud of the cream hitting the floor jarred
him from him his thoughts. He glanced down as
thick, white liquid glugged out over the stone slab.
“Damn it,” Hillary muttered, squatting and
righting the carton. “I’m not usually so clumsy.”
He snatched a dishtowel from the counter,
hunkered down beside her and started mopping
up the mess. “It doesnae matter.”
“The stone is porous.” She stood and soaked a
cloth at the sink, then returned to his side. “If the
cream soaks in, it’ll stink.”
He snorted. “What’s a wee bit of soured cream
compared to the usual dank, musty stink of the
place?”
She smiled, but didn’t look up from mess she
was wiping. Her hair fell across the delicate lines of
her jaw and cheekbone. His fingers itched to push
the silky strands away. Despite the benign
conversation, the tension from a few minutes ago
thickened rather than abated. He forced his gaze
back to the mess on the floor.
“That should be good enough,” she said, sitting
back on her haunches and eyeing the dark spot on
the stone. The faint jagged line of the scar on her
hand peeked out from the cloth, drawing his
attention. He’d noticed it before, and noticed the
way she shut down when he drew attention to the
mark.
As she stood, he did likewise, gripping her
hand once more. He took the wet towels from her
and tossed them into the sink, but didn’t release
her. Instead, he ran his thumb over the hardened
flesh marring her palm. Her hand fisted instantly.
“What happened?” he asked, lifting his gaze to
her wide, dark eyes. They looked huge against the
paleness of her skin.
“I cut it. Not a big deal.” A soft rasp edged her
voice.
“How? It looks like it was bad.”
She didn’t answer, but tried to tug free of his
grip. Instead of letting her go, he pulled her closer,
then, as though it were the most natural thing in
the world, he lowered his head and brushed his
lips over hers.
Last week I was reading a post at Fiction Groupie (which is fast becoming a favorite for me to read) about blogging, and I realized I’ve become rather lax about blogging regularly. Since the summer, I sort of fell off the whole posting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday wagon. So today, I’m getting back on.
In other news, the contest at my editor’s blog starts today. The prize is a Kindle preloaded with with some great books, including Living Lies by yours truly. To enter, all you have to do is answer the scavenger hunt question and email your answer. I’m scheduled for the 25th.
I ordered my author copies of The Curse of Culcraig last week. The book should be available for pre-order very soon. I will certainly keep you posted.
The NaNo WIP continues to move well. By Friday, I’d hit over 29K putting me well ahead of schedule. Last week, I even got some work done on Blood and Bone which was good. Three chapters and an epilogue left. I’ll be so glad when it’s done.
Off to work now. See you Wednesday. 
Mood: Good
First off, thanks everyone who participated and for all your kind words. I really appreciate it!!
Okay, the winner is…Val Pearson. Congratulations Val!! Send me an email and we’ll work out all the shipping details.
But wait…there’s more!
My wonderful editor, Tera, is posting an interview and the first chapter of Living Lies on her blog, and giving away an ecopy. All you have to do is leave a comment and she’ll draw a name. Good luck!!!
Good morning!! So to celebrate the print release of my first book, I’m giving away a free signed copy. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment. I’ll draw a name and announce the winner first thing tomorrow morning.
Easy, right? And who doesn’t like free stuff?! In the meantime, here’s another excerpt…
Copyright © 2008 Dawn Brown
Haley left Dean at his car across the street from her store then started home. The name Sandra still played through her brain. Why did it sound so familiar? Where had she heard it before?
Absently, she nibbled at the corner of her lip. The only thing more perplexing than the name tickling her memory was her uneasy alliance with Dean. Who would have guessed he would become a strange sort of ally in all this? Ally or not, Sandra wasn’t a whole lot to go on, for either of them.
She pulled into her driveway and got out of the car. Her muscles had stiffened from the long drive and an air of defeat seemed to have settled over her. Maybe after she ate something she’d feel better.
She followed the narrow cement walk to her doorstep, digging for her keys in her purse. They jingled maddeningly just out of reach as she searched blindly, through the receipts, gum wrappers and ATM statements. She needed to clean this crap out.
At last her fingers closed over the cold metal, but as she reached out to push the key into the lock she realized she didn’t need it. The door stood open. Barely a quarter of an inch, but open just the same.
Her heart rate tripled as she pushed the door the rest of the way, fisting her keys in her other hand so that each one stuck out between her knuckles. A vague recollection from a self-defense class in high school phys-ed.
Maybe she should call the police. She shook her head as if answering herself. What if she just hadn’t closed the door properly when she left that morning? She’d look like an idiot.
From the small front hall, the pale kitchen light spilled into the living room. Had she left that light on this morning? She struggled to remember, but came up empty as she ran her hand over the switches for the light overhead and the lamp next to the couch.
Nothing moved, or seemed out of place in the sudden brightness. The house was silent except for the familiar tick of the furnace and the ever-present hum of the refrigerator. She stepped farther into the house, half expecting someone to jump out at her from the dining room, but no one did.
With her heart pounding in her ears, she went into the kitchen. Everything was as she left it. From the dregs of coffee still in the pot, to the mug, plate and knife on the counter, to the crumbs next to the toaster. But then, what had she expected? That an intruder would break in and tidy her kitchen?
She considered grabbing one of the serrated knives from the wooden block on the counter, but rolled her eyes at her own foolishness. She’d probably forgotten to turn off the light in the kitchen this morning. God knew she’d been a touch preoccupied lately. The door probably hadn’t closed properly behind her when she’d left for work. And the only reason she was climbing the stairs to make sure everything was how she left it was simply for her own peace of mind. Just so she could say “I told you so” to her overactive imagination.
Her breath locked in her throat as she reached the small hallway at the top of the stairs. Soft, pale light flickered through the narrow gap between the wall and her partially closed bedroom door. With feet that felt as if they were made of stone, she dragged herself forward and pushed open the door with one trembling hand.
Her stomach dropped and a strange sound escaped her lips, something between a whimper and a gasp. The room glowed as if on fire. Candles of every shape and color flickered on her dresser, vanity, and on the floor surrounding the bed. Someone had pulled back the bedspread as if in invitation and scattered dark red rose petals across the sheets.
She covered her gaping mouth with her hand and took a step back. Who could have done this? And more importantly why?
A dull thump from below made her freeze where she stood. Someone was in the house. She should have brought the knife.
I don’t know what the weather’s like where you are, but here it’s shaping up to be a gorgeous day and I’m in a great mood.
First, all bookkeeping tasks are finished. Woohoo!! And after careful consideration, I have decided to pass on that particular baton. Aside from not enjoying the work, as the business grew so did the amount of time I had to spend doing the books. Bookkeeping was eating into family and writing time, and I just couldn’t keep all the balls in the air. Now that I’ve made the decision, I can’t tell you what a huge relief it is.
The WIP is coming along well. Changing the hero has meant going back to the beginning and reworking a lot of stuff, but I’ve done about 12K so far. Also I can get back to Blood and Bone and finally get that done. Yay!!
Living Lies is out in print tomorrow. Wednesday I’ll be having a contest and giving away a free signed copy so be sure to check back.
Also, my editor at Samhain is running a contest over on her blog. From today until May 10 she’s interviewing her authors and giving away a free ebook. All you have to do is leave a comment and you’re entered to win. Cool, huh? My day is Thursday.
Mood: Excellent
Music: I Alone, Live
